honey & rain showers
by colorful swirls
Summary: "I still love you," he whispers, making her eyes widen. — Teddy, Victoire, and the start of an era.


**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. **

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**honey & rain showers**

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"Teddy Remus Lupin, get back inside this _instant_!" She has her hands on her hips, her blue eyes fierce—with love or anger, he doesn't know.

"Come on, Vic! It's amazing out here!" He holds out his hand, brown eyes silently pleading. Her gaze softens a bit, and she sighs.

"Fine. But if we both catch a cold, it's _your _fault." She takes his hand and he draws her to him, chuckling.

"So, what are we going to do? Stand in the middle of a rain shower and snuggle?" Her voice is patronizing, but her blue eyes sparkle, and he laughs because _this_ is the Victoire he remembers.

"No," he answers, pointing to the flat next to his. "That's Mr. Martin. He loves music, and he plays waltz's all the time." He's—again—asking her a question with only his eyes, but this time, she refuses.

"Teddy, no! You know I can't dance—"

"And neither can I—"

"So let's just go inside and—"

"_Vicky_," he says, looking at her with that look in his eyes that she knows means business. "Dance with me."

She just shakes her head and puts her hands around his neck, which he takes as a surrender.

Grinning, he puts his hands around her waist, pulling her closer still, and they begin to dance.

They're a flurry of awkward steps and messed up rhythms, shrieks and twirls and laughter and water flying. He's smiling through it all, and she finds herself grinning in spite of herself. Eventually, after seconds or hours—they're not sure—the music cuts off, and they both stop a minute and take a breath.

"Well, aren't you glad I thought of this?"

She rolls her eyes at his impish grin. "Can we go inside now? I'm soaked."

"Of course, m'lady," Teddy says, and he bows, making her laugh and roll her eyes as she walks back to his unlocked back door.

"Thank you, kind sir," she says, turning around. She gives him a lopsided curtsy. "Now, which movie have you picked?"

"I'll leave that up to you," he replies, and as she's starting to walk down the hall to his room, he works up the courage to grab her wrist and pull her back to him.

"I still love you," he whispers, making her eyes widen a little before he crashes his lips to hers.

It's their first kiss in over a year, and it's everything Victoire's been dreaming of ever since he left.

"'Tears and laughter cleanse the heart,'" Teddy quotes when they break apart, and she would've laughed if she wasn't so overwhelmed.

"No one's crying," she says, and he chuckles.

"Not yet. Knowing you, I'll be a wreck by the time we get to the end of whatever movie you pick." She smacks his arm playfully, and they're back to their old beat—_TeddyandVictoire, TeddyandVictoire_.

She knows her mother would be crying if she could see them now—but Fleur'll find out eventually, when they decide to tell everyone else they're back together.

He sits her down beside him on the couch after putting the movie in, and it turns out he's right. By the end of the movie, they're both crying a little, although he'll deny it later.

"Victoire," he says suddenly as the ending credits are rolling, and she looks up at his intense brown orbs.

"Yes?" she whispers, matching the sudden change of tone in his voice. They've gone from playful to serious, and she doesn't know if this is the good or bad kind of seriousness.

He swallows, and puts one hand in his pocket. "Vicky, I love you."

"You already said that," she answers, and then mentally kicks herself. "I mean—I love you too, Teddy."

"Thanks." A hint of a smile crosses his lips. "Anyway, I know I've been gone a long time, and I know you're probably mad at me for that, but I—I think it's _time_."

She doesn't know what he's talking about until the hand that was in his pocket comes out holding a blue velvet ring box.

She gasps, and her shocked eyes return to his nervous, still-wet face.

"Victoire, I love you. You're—you're everything I've ever wanted. I couldn't find anyone to replace you in Spain, or France, or Italy, and I won't find someone to replace you _anywhere_. You're one-in-a-million. You're one-of-a-kind. Will—will you marry me?"

She points to the box, trying to keep her breathing normal. "How long have you had it?"

"Since the day before I left," he says, and winces at the memory.

"Oh, _Teddy_," she exclaims, and throws herself at him, arms around his neck, heaving sobs getting his shirt all wet, _again_.

After a few minutes, she nods against his chest. "Yes," she rasps, and disregarding the fact that she's crying, he kisses her, gently this time, and they stay like that for a long time, holding onto each other, their tears mingling.

Her lips taste like honey, and rain, and _Victoire_, and he tastes like chocolate, and grass (the wet kind, that reminds her of spring and flowers and _sunshine_) and just Teddy—_her_ Teddy.

_TeddyandVictoire, TeddyandVictoire_, their hearts beat together.

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Countless children and grandchildren later, she sits beside the grave, and wonders if it's just her, or if it _does_ smells like rain, even though the sun is out and making it easy for even her—her with her thousand pairs of reading glasses—to read the stone that says:

TEDDY REMUS LUPIN

MARCH 26th, 1998 - NOVEMBER 17th, 2088

_"Tears and laughter cleanse the heart."_

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**Alright, so, this was written for three challenges/competitions on HPFC:**

**- "Thin Mints" on Lavender Flame's Girl Scout Cookies Competition**

**- "Green" (I'm assuming Teddy & Victoire are a popular pairing) on Empress Empress Empoleon's Colors Competition**

**- Day 13 on isn't-she-lovelyy's 400 Fragrant Prompts's Challenge (the prompts were rain showers, cleanse, dance, and one-of-a-kind.)**

**By the way, the quote "Tears and laughter cleanse the heart," is from Jonathan Lockwood Huie. It might not have made sense to you, but I chose that quote because I feel like it's saying that crying and laughing cleans the heart (gets rid of a broken heart, helps you start anew). Teddy and Victoire laughed and cried in this story, after a recent heartbreak whenever Teddy left.**

**Do you understand now? :) And please review!**


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